I wanted to first give an update on our search for a new head coach for women’s basketball. We have had a very enthusiastic and positive reception from a number of quality candidates. They all understand it is a great opportunity, but currently a challenging position. The ACC is not getting any easier, and we must provide the program with additional tools to make sure we progress in the right direction. It will be a difficult decision, but we are confident in finding the right person to accept the challenge.

A number of our spring sports are ranked in the top 25 currently and are just a few weeks away from competing for ACC Championships. Both tennis programs have gotten off to a great start. The men are ranked in the top 15 for the first time since 2006. Our golf program is still very much in the hunt from an ACC and national standpoint. Outdoor track & field has just begun, and our rowing team has produced solid results. We look forward to Robbie Tenenbaum’s team playing host to the ACC Championships on Lake Hartwell next month.

It was exciting last Saturday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium as Coach Leggett’s young team battled back to win the second game in walkoff fashion against Virginia, just one day after losing a tough opening game of the series. As was proven last year by Georgia Tech winning the ACC Tournament as the No. 8 seed, anything can happen in baseball. Parity within the ACC has made getting into the conference tournament that much more important. I look forward to continuing to enjoy baseball; it should be a great ride this season!

I am excited to have some upcoming meetings with different groups on campus that will help frame our future efforts from a facilities and funding perspective. No decision has been made just yet on our Littlejohn Coliseum project, but our IPTAY members and fanbase will be the first to know when one has been reached. We recently hired an architect for our baseball renovations, and also have interesting ideas and concepts on the table as it relates to the third phase of the WestZone. I cannot emphasize enough to you that we are not standing still. There is a great deal of work to be done, but we promise to move swiftly to take advantage of the positive debt market and construction opportunities in front of us.

Last Friday at the ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament, I had the opportunity to meet with the other presidents and athletic directors from within the conference. We are incredibly excited to have Notre Dame join the ACC for the 2013-14 season. We discussed the opportunities of a reconfigured league as it relates to the television package, as well as some of the other bowl opportunities that are in front of us. I am excited about the ACC and believe the conference is in great position for the future.